Japan, 1939. Two orphaned brothers are growing up with loving grandparents who inspire them to dream of a future firmly rooted in tradition. The older boy, Hiroshi, shows signs of promise at sumo wrestling, while Kenji is fascinated by the art of Noh Theatre masks. But as the ripples of war spread, the brothers must put their dreams on hold and then forge their own paths in a new Japan.
Meanwhile, the two young daughters of a renowned sumo master find their lives increasingly intertwined with the rising fortunes of their father's star pupil, Hiroshi. Gail Tsukiyama has written her masterpiece: a powerfully moving story of tradition and change, of loss and renewal, and of the enduring strength of family ties at a crucial turning point in modern history.